Coral Research Internship

The Florida Aquarium’s Coral Research Internship is designed to provide valuable hands-on experience working and collecting data at a world-class land-based coral nursery producing corals for reef restoration in Florida. 

With the exception of orientation and workshops, this internship position is entirely carried out at our Apollo Beach location.

This internship is funded through a grant and intern will be paid a monthly stipend.

 
Number of Positions available: 2
Length of Position: 6 Months; anticipated start date is July 1, 2025

Responsibilities:

Develop knowledge and experience in coral husbandry, biology, life history, and life support technology.
• Conduct daily duties to assist primary biologist on live coral aquaria, including but not limited to cleaning, performing water changes, maintaining life support systems, feeding, and managing water quality parameters.
• Assist with gathering health assessment data and keeping accurate and detailed daily records.
• Utilize dissecting microscope to clean coral settlement tiles. 
• Assist with medical treatments.
• Assist with coral spawning observations, gamete collection, larval creation and settlement.
• Assist with collecting coral settlement and survival data.
• Complete project involving data collection and interpretation that benefits both The Florida Aquarium and the intern. Present findings internally and potentially externally. 
• Other duties as assigned by internship supervisor.
 

Desired Qualifications:

· Previous experience with reef aquarium husbandry and knowledge of basic coral and marine invertebrate biology.
• Experience using dissecting microscopes and ability/desire to work using a microscope for many hours.
• Ability to work in hot and humid conditions.
• Ability to lift 30 lbs.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to work independently.

Time Commitment:
• Four days a week, minimum 8 hours per day, with no more than 1 weekend day per week.
• Exact hours will vary during coral spawning, but generally, the intern will work 32 hours per week. 

Learning Objectives:

• Understand and develop all skills necessary for coral husbandry (e.g., feeding, water quality, light levels, flow, water changes, and filtration).
• Understand the crisis currently occurring on Florida’s coral reefs and the work coral practitioners and The Florida Aquarium  are doing to help. 
• Understand and develop skills for spawning and rearing of corals at the Apollo Beach campus of The Florida Aquarium .